The Cambridge Dictionary defines queuing as ‘a line of people (usually standing, waiting for something). There are not many countries that queue as well as England! One joker said that we love to queue so much, we’ll first join a queue – then ask what it’s for afterwards! If you’ve ever been abroad, you likely have been surprised that most other countries don’t wait in line! Yet here, if just a few people are mingling around, it’s regarded as polite to ask ‘Where’s the beginning of the queue?!’ We all know that the unwritten rule (even if you quickly pop back to an aisle to get something else) is that you happily return back to the beginning of the queue again!
So why is England so good at queues? Some believe it could be to do with the history of rationing during World War 2 (when people would stand in line for their food). But others believe that simply we are the ‘nation of the underdog’ that believes in fairness and justice for all. Also it’s a fact that most people in England can’t go for a few hours without talking about the weather. So we’ll soon happily join a queue to start conversations with people we don’t know – about the outlook for the next day or two, whether it will rain or shine!
Some Animals Queue Too!
Line Up! Animals in Remarkable Rows shows how our fellow creatures often form their own queues, but for very different reasons:
- Safety (Mallard ducklings follow mother to the water)
- Warmth (turtles climb into lines, for better share of the sun’s rays)
- Navigation (Arctic wolves follow snowprints, left by pack leaders)
- Food (ants line up to follow the scent to food & safety)
- Travel (pink flamingos form a line to reduce wind resistance)
